Exam 6: Relevance Red Herringfallacies

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Don't you just love hearing somebody [Michael Bloomberg,mayor of New York City] who violated New York City's term limit law to run for mayor a third time lecturing us on portion control? When it came to the portions of terms he could serve,he was insatiable." -Rush Limbaugh

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. No,I don't believe that Uncle Bob is really gone forever.He was like a father to me,and I believe that someday,somehow or other,we'll see one another again;I don't think I could go on if I didn't believe that.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Don't give me reasons where feelings are concerned;I can't be argued out of my feelings.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. One person,speaking to her friends before they attend a political fund-raising party:"Now listen,folks,before we go into this party.You should be prepared to hear all kinds of flattery as they butter you up before they try to pick your pockets.Remember,all they're after is your money."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Pornography not a problem? Are you serious?"

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. I just learned why all those theories about nonhumans building the Great Pyramids and the Easter Island statues and so on are full of baloney.The guy who wrote about them was once a hotel manager somewhere in Switzerland,and he was once convicted of embezzlement.No wonder those theories smelled fishy!

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "I hear jocks and fraternity types grumbling about the homework,but I expect more from you."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "That Ehrman fellow started off as a fairly fundamentalist religious person,but after all that education and study,he finally wound up being an atheist.His opinions about the scriptures are not the ones you want to listen to."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Of course that can't be a legitimate proposal.They're just trying to get the city council to pass a regulation that will stir up some business for them.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "Forget those polls.They come from CBS."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Since the University of Virginia was founded by Thomas Jefferson,a slave-owner,we should be very suspicious of the graduates of that university.

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Cheryl is deciding which of the girls who are rushing her sorority she wants most to join.Pearl and Maria are trying to convince Cheryl that Debra is the best of the rushees and that Cheryl should vote for Debra when the time comes. "Debra has a wonderful personality,and she'll fit right in," Pearl says."All the other sisters are going to vote for her." "And she'll be really hurt if you don't support her," Maria points out."She thinks you like her a lot." "Besides," Pearl says,"she and I are very close.She's just about the best friend I ever had."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "The secretary insists our missiles can shoot down theirs,but what else could he say? He's got to put people at ease."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. "Doesn't the fact that very few first-rank economists accept Marxist economic ideas suggest to you that there may be something wrong with those ideas?" "Not at all.Those economists are all tools of the ruling capitalist parties.I dismiss their views out of hand."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. Listen,friends,it's our money the board of supervisors wants to spend putting sewers and other improvements out there in that Antelope Creek development.And you know who's going to profit from it the most? The developers,who don't even live around here.I tell you,we have sat back and done nothing long enough! It's high time we told these out-of-town interlopers or antelopers or whatever they are to go mess with somebody else's town.I won't stand for it any more!

Identify any fallacies in the following passage. "The new Secretary of Defense says he'll prosecute the war in the Middle East in accordance with current American policy.But you realize,don't you,that as soon as he got home from Vietnam he began to criticize American policy there."

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. "The second group that has latched on to the environmentalist movement...wants to preserve the earth at all costs,even if it means that much of the Third World will be forever condemned to poverty.Rather than elevate the Third World,they want to move us closer to Third World conditions.That's somehow cleaner,purer.It's the way things were before Western white people came along and terrorized the earth by inventing things.They want to roll us back,maybe not to the Stone Age,but at least to the horse-and-buggy era." -Rush Limbaugh

Identify any fallacies in the following two passages.Why are they different? Letter to the editor:"Your food section frequently features recipes with veal,and you say veal is a wholesome,nutritious dish.I disagree.Do you know how veal comes to be on your plate? At birth a newborn calf is separated from its mother,placed in a dark enclosure,and chained by its neck so that it cannot move freely.This limits muscular development so that the animal is tender.It is kept in the dark pen until the day it is cruelly slaughtered." -Cascade News Letter to the editor:"Your food section frequently features recipes with veal,and you say veal is a wholesome,nutritious dish.It may be wholesome and nutritious,but it is produced in a gruesome,inhumane way.At birth a newborn calf is separated from its mother,placed in a dark enclosure,and chained by its neck so that it cannot move freely.This limits muscular development so that the animal is tender.It is kept in the dark pen until the day it is cruelly slaughtered." -Cascade News

Identify any fallacies in the following passage either by naming them or,where they seem not to conform to any of the patterns described in the text,by giving a brief explanation of why the fallacious reasoning is irrelevant to the point at issue. You show me when an embryo becomes a human person,just show me! Tell me exactly when it is.When it's just an egg,the size of a pin head? When it divides once? Twice? Three times? When? Where you gonna draw the line? An embryo is not a person,and that's that.

Identify the type of fallacy in the following passage. "Obamacare can't be any good.To apply for benefits you have to fill out a 15-page form!"